Rough machining operations of metallic workpieces may be effectively performed using cutting tools having cutting inserts with serrated cutting edges. Cutting inserts with serrated cutting edges enable higher metal removal, rates as compared with cutting inserts having non-serrated cutting edges. However, this is achieved at the expense of rougher surface finish. Cutting inserts with serrated cutting edges for milling operations are well known in the art. Triangular, square, round, and rectangular shaped cutting inserts are disclosed, respectively, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,911; U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,602; U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,766; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,714.
For rough grooving machining operations, grooving inserts with circular cutting edges may be used. Grooving inserts with circular cutting edges are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,752; U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,680; U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,668 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,447. However, it is believed that many of the existing cutting inserts do not adequately deal with chip control, especially in deep grooving operations. Chips removed from the workpiece may be relatively long which makes their evacuation from the groove difficult and consequently makes the grooving operation inefficient. Moreover, inadequate chip control can adversely affect the life of the cutting insert and can also damage the workpiece. The result can be both inconvenient and costly.